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Galactic Empire
The Galactic Empire is the totalitarian galactic regime born from the ashes of the war-weary Republic. Established in 19 BBY by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the Empire rules the galaxy with a firm, heavy-handed iron grip, abolishing sentient rights and liberties and placing state rule above all else. Ruling through fear, the Empire has zero-tolerance for dissent, which ultimately led to the Galactic Civil War. Having gone through multiple power struggles, a civil war, and various reorganizations in the wake of Palpatine's death, the Empire has transformed from the all-powerful, galaxy-spanning regime to a vastly weakened shadow of its former self that continues to struggle to hold an ever-changing galaxy together against the tide of the New Republic. Having regained footing under Emperor Bacharan Valak, and later through the Imperial Blitzkrieg of 14 ABY, the Empire has effectively regained control over a majority of galactic territory and is once again ruling from Coruscant under the authority of Emperor Aleister Vadim and Sate Pestage. = History = See a more detailed account here. From its establishment in 19 BBY (now known as 0 Imperial Standard Year (ISY) on official Imperial calendars), the galaxy underwent a vast cultural, social and political transformation known as Imperialization. Spearheaded by such organizations as COMPNOR, the New Order was drilled into the everyday lives of the average Imperial citizen. At first, dissent was nonexistent. The Galactic Senate had unanimously approved of Palpatine's great transformation, and the average citizen, fearful and weary due to years of warfare in the Clone Wars, were more than willing to grant Palpatine supreme authority if it meant the security provided by such a regime. COMPNOR ranks flourished; by 0 BBY, over two trillion sentients filled the ranks of the Sub-Adult Groups. The Imperial Army and Imperial Navy safeguarded the space lanes and territory of Imperial space, and the Stormtroopers and Star Destroyers instilled fear and dread into any who sought to oppose the Empire. Imperialization was largely effective. Remnants of the Republic were swiftly swept away, and by 0 BBY, the galaxy at large had all but forgotten the Jedi Order or simply led life with the false belief that the Jedi had never existed, practicing a form of doublethink. COMPNOR and its bureaus monitored cultural activities on Imperial member worlds, and altered planetary governments to fall in line with the Imperial standard. Despite the initial picture-perfect environment the Empire fostered, cracks were already forming at the seams. Several in the Imperial Senate were aware of Palpatine's true nature as a Sith and his manipulation of the war, and were secretly establishing the foundations of rebellion. Eventually, its tactics of ruling through fear turned upon the Empire. Citizens began open revolt, ending in such disasters as the Ghorman Massacre. The Death Star project was underway as the epitome of the Tarkin Doctrine, the Empire's unofficial policy of state-sponsored terror. The Imperial Ruling Council, the executive body of the Empire that ran the day-to-day operations of government on the Emperor's behalf, was responsible for such agendas as the Human High Culture, which did much to foster resentment of the Empire amongst the non-human species of the galaxy, and largely led to their involvement in the brewing Alliance. When the Alliance struck their devastating blow at the Battle of Yavin, the Empire responded in a brutal fashion. The Imperial Senate was disbanded, and power was further centralized under the Ruling Council and the Emperor. A massive military build-up was initiated. Unprecedented in history, this build-up nearly doubled the size of the Imperial Military and a massive campaign was underway to swiftly deal with the rebellion. Although the Empire was successful in driving the Alliance from Hoth, resulting in the near-collapse of the Alliance, the rebellion continued to grow and finally struck the fatal blow at Endor, destroying the second Death Star and killing Palpatine. Without their leader, the Empire fell into disarray. Since no successor had been appointed, as that duty was left to the Senate which, ironically, had been disbanded by Palpatine years earlier, various Imperial leaders fought for the throne and amongst each other, resulting in the fragmentation of the Empire and the Post-Endor Imperial power struggle. The Post-Endor Imperial power struggle See a more detailed account here. The Empire splintered. Entire fleets and armies fell under the command of warlords and self-styled "Emperors". The devastation brought upon by the Empire's fragmentation would allow the fledging Alliance to build-up and solidify its own power base amongst the galaxy. On Imperial Center, Sate Pestage, the Empire's Grand Vizier, attempted to reestablish order through his authority as the head of the Empire's Ruling Council. But his authority was challenged by many on the Council and amongst military commanders and Imperial regional governors. Ysanne Isard attempted her own coup against Pestage, utilizing her position as Director of Imperial Intelligence to undermine Pestage's regime. Her attempt failed, and Pestage was able to retain control over what was left of the Empire. Star system after star system fell to the hands of vying warlords, many whom formed their own quasi-governments and empires. Pestage did his best to maintain control, but within several months, Imperial Center would be lost to the Alliance, which transformed into the New Galactic Republic. Pestage and the Council fled to distant Dreven and worked tirelessly to reorganize the fractured government. The Ruling Council was transformed into the Interim Ruling Council and it was decided that a new figurehead was needed to bring the Empire back together. Several attempts would be made, but it would lead to further infighting amongst the Council itself for the prestigious role as "Emperor" - though it was only Emperor in name. The Empire was vastly reduced in territory and power. Its territory stretched a thin line from Byss in the Galactic Core across the Tarkin Corridor and into the Outer Rim where Dreven was located. Its military was reduced from an armada of over one hundred thousand Star Destroyers to a mere several thousand, the rest under the control of the various warlords or captured by the New Republic. But its weakened position gave it an unique advantage; the Republic, which was growing as the new galactic power, saw the Imperial remnant as no threat, a dying wampa with no fight left in it. Mired in its chaotic power struggle, the Empire would prove to be no threat to the Republic. It would kill itself in due time. Instead of finishing off the Empire, the Republic worked on establishing its government and granting membership to new worlds. With the Republic's attention away from the Empire, they did not see the meteoric rise of one Bacharan Valak. Reawakening See a more detailed account here. Valak was a former Admiral who rose through the ranks of the Council to take its throne. Charismatic, cunning, and brutal, Valak swiftly put down all opposition and instituted reforms to breathe life into the Empire. Aided by the Dark Side of the Force and the teachings of the Sith holocrons on Ord Trasi, Valak solidified his rule and even ordered construction of a third Death Star. After putting down the Vigilant coup and dealing with the last of the Imperial warlords, Valak was coroneted Emperor at a ceremony in Castle Tsabak. He successfully reunified the Empire and turned its collective power against the Republic, unleashing its renewed military against a surprised Republic in a vicious campaign spearheaded by his Death Star. Territory was reclaimed and Imperial rule reestablished on many worlds. Some, such as Sluis Van and Gastus IV, met much worse fates at the hands of the Death Star. Coruscant was reclaimed and the Republic was sent reeling from the effects of its complacency in regards to the Empire. With the Empire soaring from its restored power, the Republic's candle began to die out. The Galactic Confederation and the Imperial Civil War See a more detailed account here. With Imperial law once again becoming commonplace, Valak surprised much of the galaxy by establishing the Galactic Confederation. Other galactic entities were granted membership, with the exception of the "rebellion." Utilizing the Death Star, Valak was able to cajole the other constituents into cooperating fully with the Empire. However, the tides of fortune would once again be changing. In cooperating with Talon Karrde, the Republic sabotaged the Death Star and executed a daring assault that destroyed the station and greatly weakened the Empire's hold on the galaxy. The Confederation collapsed, but Valak was able to retain hold until events on Mon Calamari took a turn for the worse. Calling himself Palpatine, a new figure rose to prominence and established a new regime, the True Empire, on Imperial-held Calamari. Turning many Imperials over to his side, the so-called Palpatine led a war against Valak's regime. The war ravaged the Empire. Valak was successful in defeating the True Empire, but his regime would be changed. His grasp on his throne weakened, his infrastructure left damaged, Valak secluded himself from the galaxy and allowed his Empire to continue in its downward spiral. At some point after the war, it was reported Valak had been apprehended by the Jedi, only to escape and go into hiding - from what, however, has remained a mystery. The War of the Throne See a more detailed account here. In the wake of Valak's disappearance and the civil war, Lorn Rhys, former head of the Bureau of Operations and the Vigiliant Movement, utilized his contacts within Imperial Intelligence and COMPNOR to contact Zinar Czeorska, the head of the Royal Guard and a fledging Dark Jedi. Rhys and Zinar entered into an uneasy alliance to oust Kendal Osbourne, who had managed to wrestle control over the Empire in the wake of Valak's disappearance. With the Stormtroopers under his control, Rhys unleashed his plan to take control of the Empire. Many in the Imperial Military were caught flatfooted and unable to resist Rhys and his legions; the era known as the War of the Throne was underway. Apprehending Osbourne, Rhys declared himself Emperor and sat on the throne on Dreven. However, events continued that reminisced the first civil war. Darth Pain killed Rhys and took the throne for herself. Her rule would be short lived, due to a resurrected Rhys. Calling himself Darth Malus, Rhys executed Pain and once again reclaimed the throne. The confusion and disarray in the Imperial ranks led to the creation of the Neo-Imperial Movement. Coruscant was liberated by the Republic, and the Empire was once again pushed back to the depths of the galaxy. Although Malus was successful in crushing the Neo-Empire, his reign would be a weak one. With the military largely against Malus, they were ripe for revolution upon the introduction of Darth Malign, an agent of the mysterious Aleister Vadim. Encasing Malus in carbonite, Malign allied himself with Zinar and reorganized the Empire. He appointed Danik Kreldin as head of the military and allowed the aged veteran to plan and execute the Empire's revenge. The Imperial Blitzkrieg and Beyond See a more detailed account here. The Blitzkrieg struck deep into the heart of the Republic. Most of the galaxy was brought back under Imperial authority. Coruscant was encircled by a vast Imperial fleet and it was eventually returned to Imperial rule. Vadim declared himself Emperor, his path to power ensured by Malign. However, dissent would simmer, fanned by Kreldin who sought to remove what he saw as an illegitimate ruler. The attempted coup would fail, and Kreldin and his supporters removed. Afterwards, the Empire reestablished itself towards focusing on administering its vast territory and hunting down the remnants of the Republic. = Structure = The current structure of the Galactic Empire is more similar to the structure in Palpatine's days. The Government See Government of the Galactic Empire for a more in-depth analysis. The government of the Empire is a complicated system of competing bureaucrats and military commanders who seek the attention of the Emperor. COMPNOR See COMPNOR for a more in-depth analysis. The Commission for the Preservation of the New Order, or COMPNOR, is a socio-political engineering body designed to enforce the ideals of the New Order. It seeks to sow the ideals of the New Order in every living being, creating loyal citizens who are fanatically loyal to the Emperor. COMPNOR is often looked upon by Imperial citizens with a mixture of fear and respect; respect for what they stand for, and fear of what they are rumored to be capable of. Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) See Imperial Security Bureau for a more in-depth analysis. The Imperial Security Bureau, in addition to the Sub-Adult Group, is the most visible face of COMPNOR. Acting as a counterweight to Imperial Intelligence, it has quickly become the Emperor's all-pervasive secret police organization. It operates as a standard intelligence agency, with uniformed representatives in every Imperial city, outpost and embassy, and covert sleeper-agents operating outside of Imperial territory. In addition to operating as a standard intelligence agency, the ISB is charged with maintaining morale and loyalty among members of the Imperial military. It stations moles among the officers of the military, both Army and Navy, designed to report on any possibly treasonous activities or sentiments present among the ranks. Their methods, both inside and outside the military scope, are often cunning, cruel, and ultimately deadly. The Military See Imperial Military for a more in-depth analysis. The Imperial Military is a powerful martial force of combined naval and ground forces that maintains Imperial law and security throughout its territory. For over a decade the military has been at war with the Rebellion and later the New Republic. Originally consisting of over one hundred thousand Star Destroyers and billions of troops, the Empire's military has suffered heavily from several civil wars and the war against the Republic, but it remains the galaxy's most powerful and numerous armed force despite its weaknesses. The head of the military is the Commander-in-Chief, the Military Executor and Supreme Commander, whom is appointed personally by the Emperor and manages the entire war effort. The Grand Admiral's Council, which oversees the Imperial Navy, and the Grand General's Council, which oversees the Imperial Army, are components of the Supreme Commander's office. Together with the Moff's Council, these offices together form the Imperial High Command, the general management branch of the Imperial Military. Stormtroopers form an important component of the military. They do not fall under the proper military chain, but rather operate under the directives of the Emperor personally as a means to ensure the military's compliance with the Emperor's will. Despite this, Stormtroopers operate alongside the Navy and Army, and are sometimes placed under regular military authority to ensure an effective military operation. Furthermore, COMPNOR agents are embedded within the military to further enforce the Emperor's will, in the form of Imperial Security Bureau commissars and CompForce observers. = Economy = After the Clone Wars, the Empire stabilized and expanded the economy. Imperialization of the various trade agencies and businesses brought the economy under state control. However, there was no inflation during the days of Palpatine's regime. The prime form of currency in use by the Empire was the Imperial credit, although other forms of currency, such as the Republic credit, came into existence after the Empire's fragmentation. However, with the galaxy in turmoil, most have resided to using the standard credit within both galactic governments. = Society and Culture = Culture within the Galactic Empire is monitored and implemented through COMPNOR's Coalition for Progress. Ascetic and minimalist, Imperial culture was unique in that even though the Empire was totalitarian, it did not clamp down hard on artistic culture. Human High Culture was an agenda initiated by the Empire's Ruling Council that emphasized human supremacy in the Empire. Non-humans, despite being Imperial citizens by law, were persecuted and some species even enslaved for labor, such as the Wookiees of Kashyyyk. Male chauvinism was also prevalent throughout the early Empire, although this along with the Human High Culture have begun to reside within the current Imperial culture as it struggles to retain its control over the galaxy that has tasted the freedom offered by the New Republic. = Astrography = At its height, the Empire consisted of over one million member worlds and fifty million colonies, protectorates, and governorships. Its capital was Coruscant, renamed Imperial Center. Imperial territory was divided into regions, which in turn were divided into sectors, consisting of numerous star systems. Currently, the Empire has managed to regain control over a good seventy percent of its former territory, hundreds of thousands of worlds. However, due to various shakeups within the Imperial government, the number of sectors has been reduced, with a lesser number of Moffs who have control over larger pieces of territory. = OOC Info = The Empire itself is open to all players, but the military is closed off to non-humans. ICly, a bias against women still exists within the military, but female humans are still allowed in the military. Treason Consent Warning Treason against the Empire is punishable by death, and defectors are hunted down and should not expect any leeway from the Empire. Committing treason on the game is equvalent to consenting to character death. Category:Factions Category:Governments Category:Society and Culture From SW1ki, a Wikia wiki.